Ablify Maintena (AM) is a long acting injection of aripiprazole that received marketing authorisation in the UK in January 2014. It is costly compared to first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) LAIs and there are no robust trials comparing AM with FGAs. We examined the effectiveness and use of AM in a mental health trust.

We identified all patients prescribed AM in North Staffordshire (population: 470,000) since launch and examined records for demography, diagnosis, bed and medication use. We examined the effectiveness of AM using a mirror image design.

Thirty patients received AM in a time frame allowing a 1-year follow-up. Sixty-nine percent were male and the mean age was 39 years. Over half were detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act and 30% were inpatients on a psychiatric intensive care unit when AM was started. Twenty-eight patients had a psychotic diagnosis. There was a significant reduction in bed occupancy (63 v 6 days, P = 0.0001) and admissions (1.6 v 0.5, P = 0.0001). The median dose was 400 mg. Lack of effectiveness/poor adherence with prior treatments were the main reason for starting AM in 84%. Eighty-six percent of patients clinically improved on AM. Blood parameters were in the normal range.

Within the limitations of the methodology, our results show a reduction in psychiatric bed use in the year following AM initiation on an intention to treat basis. The reduction in bed use equates to a minimum annual saving of £14,250 per patient. AM at the median study dose costs £2645 per year.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.